Join us in celebrating the outstanding contributions these Award Winning volunteers have made to environmental conservation and community in the Abbott Marshlands! These dedicated volunteers received recognition for their “above-and-beyond” service at the Friends for the Abbott Marshlands Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 26.
Congratulations to our dedicated volunteer Joel Dowshen on receiving the prestigious Mary A. Leck Award 2025 from Friends for the Abbott Marshlands! This award recognizes outstanding, long-term service to the Abbott Marshlands which has had a meaningful and lasting effect. Joel Dowshen, this year’s recipient, has shown extraordinary commitment through his work as a Board Member, with our Stewardship and Community Engagement Committees, Trail Stewardship and on special conservation projects. His tireless efforts as a Bordentown City Liaison and Abbott Marshlands Ambassador have brought our little organization much recognition and good will, especially when delivered with Joel’s kindness, knowledge, and enthusiasm!
We’re thrilled to announce Mark Manning as the recipient of the 2025 Scientific Contribution Award from Friends for the Abbott Marshlands! Mark has contributed exceptionally to our understanding of the marshlands ecosystem through his dedicated work with Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). From leading Poisonous Plant Walks to conducting specialized Odonata Walks and research studies, Mark has shared his expertise and passion with our community. His January 2023 contribution on “Odonata in the Abbott Marshlands” helped us appreciate these fascinating insects dancing above our wetlands. Mark’s work exemplifies how volunteer service builds our Abbott Marshlands community while advancing scientific knowledge.
We’re proud to honor Melanie Varnerin with the Abbott Ambassador Award for her tireless dedication to the Abbott Marshlands! Whether you’ve visited our TNC Welcome Desk, participated in one of our education programs, or stopped by our booth at community events, chances are you’ve benefited from Melanie’s warm welcome and extensive knowledge. Melanie embodies the spirit of community service through her countless hours staffing outreach tables, organizing programs, and ensuring our events run smoothly. She’s the friendly face greeting visitors and the helpful hand behind the scenes, making everything possible! We love having Melanie on out team, sharing her passion for our wetlands with people of all ages and helping to build meaningful connections between our community and this precious natural resource.
We’re thrilled to recognize Megha Rajoria with our Rising Star Award for her exceptional contributions to the Abbott Marshlands community! In a short time, Megha has made an incredible impact across multiple areas – serving on our Marketing and Fundraising Committees while lending her creative talents to our graphic design, social media, and photography efforts. She’s also become an invaluable ambassador for our programs, helping to spread awareness about our precious wetlands. We are happy to welcome Megha to our Board of Directors starting in May 2025! Megha’s bright spirit and enthusiasm, which shines in everything she does for our organization, comes through the instant you meet her! Her multifaceted contributions exemplify how one dedicated volunteer can make a difference in environmental conservation.
We’re happy to award long-term Marsh friend Tom Hudzik our 2025 Boots in the Marsh Award! Tom is a member of our Special Projects Team, and was invaluable in the completion of our new boardwalk on the Abbott Brook Trail, truly earning the “Boots in the Mud” moniker with this mucky project! He has also been instrumental in our marsh clean-up efforts, going into especially tricky areas of Roebling Park to remove litter and debris, maintaining the Abbott Brook Boardwalk and working on the rebuilding of the NCP Entrance. If you’re inspired by Tom’s example, we’d love to have you join our Special Projects Stewardship Team too!
We’re excited to introduce Faith Dobry, winner of our New Volunteer Award! Faith has made an instant impact, participated in Marsh clean-up efforts, multiple sessions of building the Abbott Brook boardwalk, bringing her skill to building the new NCP Entrance, and helping construct our Island Boardwalk. Faith seamlessly joined our volunteer community in 2024, bringing fresh energy and enthusiasm to our conservation projects. Our volunteer community thrives thanks to new members like Faith, who contribute their time and talents to preserving this precious ecosystem. Whether clearing trails or building boardwalks, Faith exemplifies the hands-on commitment that helps keep our marshlands accessible and beautiful for all visitors.
The Friends thanks these and all our volunteers for helping make the last year extraordinary in terms of impact and growth!
Written by Megha Rajoria.
